Medtech M&A explodes in 2014

Merger & acquisition activity surged this year in the medical device industry, with both the number and value of deals climbing to new heights after years of decline, according to a MassDevice.com analysis.

The number of deals during 2014 rose 39.0% to 57, from 41 in 2013, according to our look at transactions with announced values. But the real news is the surge in valuations: The total value of those 57 deals soared 504.1% to $86.39 billion, compared with just $14.3 billion last year.*

Nearly half of that value represents the blockbuster, $43 billion union of Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and Covidien (NYSE:COV). Excluding that deal, the other 56 were collectively worth $43.4 billion – incredibly, still a whopping 203.4% over 2013.